Addis Abeba — Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko pledged his country's commitment to deepening bilateral ties with Ethiopia, expressing strong "political and economic interest" in expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
During a meeting in Minsk with Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timothewos today, President Lukashenko spoke of the historical significance of the relationship and Belarus' readiness to offer technological, agricultural, and engineering support.
"Ethiopia is one of the most important countries in East Africa for us," he said, citing mutual benefits and a shared Soviet-era legacy as the foundation for future collaboration.
The president noted that Belarus is prepared to supply Ethiopia with agricultural machinery, transfer technology, and train Ethiopian specialists.
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This was preceded by an announcement that the two countries were negotiating the establishment of joint ventures to assemble agricultural machinery.
Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said of the meeting that during the visit, Minister Gedion "held extensive discussions with his Belarusian counterpart, Maxim Ryzhenkov."
"Currently, our countries are discussing the specifics of the establishment of joint ventures in Ethiopia to assemble Belarusian agricultural machinery using Belarusian equipment and technologies. Subsequently, we hope that machinery assembled in our country can be marketed to other African nations. I expect negotiations in this area to conclude in the very near future," FM Gedion told local media after meeting with the President.
In addition to the pledge to deepen ties, President Lukashenko also called for concerted efforts by the two countries' foreign ministries to finalize a cooperation roadmap, which was first announced during his meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the sidelines of the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.
In that October meeting, the Belarusian leader voiced strong support for Ethiopia's ambition to secure access to the sea.
The Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA) quoted Lukashenko as saying that those who oppose Ethiopia's maritime access were "complete fools," adding, "through war or through negotiations, Ethiopia will still reach the sea. It is better, of course, through peaceful means."
Prime Minister Abiy echoed the sentiment, describing lack of sea access as a shared "pain" for both countries.
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"We shouldn't go to war or fight over resources," Abiy said. "That's why the position of Belarus that understands and shares our pain is so important for us."
